The National tribune., 1887-04-07
wATERHoUsE BATTERY.
A CaFaIrYmau Claims That Hatch's Troops Recap
tured 1t

Eured 1t
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Comrade III.
w. Phelps, 95th Ohio, Westerville, o., greatly
surprised me in making the most absurd asser-
tiOn have yet seen. In Justice to myself aud
to the brave comrades who actually did recap
ture the famous Waterhouse Battery taken
from the Union forces at GuntOwn, Miss,
will present the actual facts. / do not doubt
that MeMillan's Brigade did good fighting, at
Nashville bore the brunt of the fighting Of the
Sixteenth Corps, captured prisoners and some
artillery; but do know, positively, that Nc
Millan's Brigade did not reeapture the Water
house Battery at Nashville. nor do I believe
they ever saw it, unless it was where the guns
were parked, at least six hours after they had
been taken by the Fifth Division Of cavalry,
Gen. Ed. Hatch commanding.
The battery was taken from the rear guard
Of the enemy fully 80 miles from Nashville,
between Franklin and Pulaski, and had the
honor of being in charge of the volunteers of
Battery /, 1st III. l.. A.. with our horses, that
hauled it off the field after dark, under most
CALLING fire. / do not ask Comrade Phelps to
take my statement alone, but refer him to
Lieut.. j. A. Mccartney, commanding Battery
/; Gen. Datus E. Coon, commanding Second
Brigade; Gen. Ed. Hatch. commanding Fifth
Division, and Gen. J. III. Wilson, all of the Cav
airy Corps, Military Division of Mississippi,
who were present and assisted in capturing the
battery.
In the same issue i noticed a response from
Capt. Rankin to Comrade Surby, in regard TO
their respective positions at the battle OF Nash
Vile, Tenn, Dec. 15 1864 / read COmrade
Surby's plain, unvarnished statement of the
position the Fifth Division occupied, and the
services it rendered, and as my battery was
attached to and operated with the Fifth Tor
Hatch's) Division of cavalry during that en-
gagement, i was certainly in a position 20
know, and I heartily concur in his version 0f
| the facts.
Our orders from Gen. Thomas were TO Opsr.
ate on the right Of the army, and, If possible,
turn the enemy's left. We ooeyed those or
ders to the letter, and did turn the enemy'E
| left and captured two of his forts, with eight
guns, ammunition and many prisoners, the
| first day. The second day we again turned hia
| left and captured another fort, with guns and
more prisoners, making Is pieces of artillery
| captured in the two days; and claim. with
Comrade Surby, that Hateh's Fifth Division
was on the extreme right Of ThOmas's army.
/ I would respectfully call Capt. Rankin's at
| tentiOn to Gen. ThOmas's report of Dec. 16,
/ 1864, at s .. m, to the "Hon. e. NJ. Stanton,
| and Lieut.. Gen. Grant," in w. j. Tenny's His
/ tory of the Rebellion, page $50, an extract
/ from which reads as follows: Brig Gen.
Hatch, of Wilson's Corps of cavalry, on the
/ right, turned the enemy's left and captured
| large number of prisOners-number not yet re-
| ported" Now. Captain. will you please explain
! how Hatch's Fifth Division Ofcayalry could have
/ turned the enemy's left and captured large
number Of prisoners, If it did not fight on our
extreme right? If you can produce anything
/ official to show that the Fifth Division did not
occupy the above position, please trOt it out,
/ and let us know the author.-E. s. RUSSELL,
First Lieutenant, Battery i, 1ss Ill L. A., Wsu-
kegan, Ill.